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Controversy-hit Australian team undergoes training

Besides Clarke, David Warner, Moises Henriques, Phillip Hughes and Mitchell Starc were among others to sweat it out at the nets and during the fielding drill.

Mohali: The Australian team, which is coping with an unprecedented sacking of four key players on disciplinary grounds, on Tuesday underwent an extensive training session before the third Test against India starting here on Thursday.

A day after the team management made the shocking announcement that vice-captain Shane Watson, two frontline pacemen James Pattinson and Mitchell Johnson and batsman Usman Khawaja had been dropped from the team on disciplinary grounds, it seemed business as usual at the nets. Brad Haddin reached here as cover for injured Matthew Wade, who had sprained his ankle while playing basketball in Chandigarh last week.

Barring Watson, who according to the team management had flown back to Australia to be with his pregnant wife, Pattinson, Johnson and Khawaja took part in the training session on Tuesday. Pattinson later said that the team was in "good spirits" and that he accepted the management's decision, which he described was in the best interests of the team.

In fact, Mitchell Johnson, who currently sports a light beard, bowled a number of overs during the training session. Besides Clarke, David Warner, Moises Henriques, Phillip Hughes and Mitchell Starc were among others to sweat it out at the nets and during the fielding drill. During the session, Clarke was seen to be passing jokes and laughing with his team-mates.